Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at The Masqueraders at The United States Naval Academy–Part 3: Megan Rausch

This is the third in a series of interviews with the cast of The Masqueraders’ production of Translations. Meet Megan Rausch.

Joel: Introduce yourself to our readers and tell them what other shows you have appeared in and some of the roles you have played.

Megan: I am a junior at the Academy and have participated in theatre productions since elementary school. Some of my favorite roles before coming to the Naval Academy include Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Stepmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. I have been a part of the USNA Masqueraders since my Plebe year. Last year, I had the pleasure of playing Miss Prism in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

Why did you want to be in Translations produced by the United States Naval Academy Masqueraders?

I have always loved theatre and as a Mechanical Engineering major, having a non-academic hobby is essential to handling the stress which comes with classes. As a technical major, I also do not have time to pursue.

Who do you play in Translations and how do you relate to your character?

I play Bridget. She is a sort-of comic relief character amidst the serious topics that the play addresses. I relate to her theatric approach to life. She always has a story to tell and she likes to be dramatic about it, regardless of her audience.

What do you admire about your character and what do you not admire?

I admire her energetic approach to life. However, as a rather analytical and guarded thinker, I do not admire her unquestioning and flirtatious nature.

What have been the challenges you have encountered while preparing for your role and how have you overcome these challenges? How did your director help you?

My character, Bridget, does not think like I do, thus it was initially hard for me to step inside her world and discover her internal motivation behind her actions. My director was incredibly helpful in giving me the correct historical and social context to ‘become’ Bridget.

What is your big highlight in the show and what do we learn about your character when you perform it?

My highlight of the show occurs in the third and final act. In this act, my character transforms from happy and carefree to quite suddenly hysterical. I think that it is here that Bridget becomes believable as a young woman in Ireland during this time. There is substance in her hysterics that is not seen her flirtatiousness in the previous acts.

What have you learned about yourself during this whole process?

I have learned that I was capable of stepping outside myself and seeing/feeling things from a completely different perspective than my own.

What do you want audiences to take with them after watching you perform in Translations?

I am really proud of this production and what we have accomplished. I would like audiences to come away with a deeper appreciation for the fine arts produced by the Naval Academy.

What roles would you like to play in the future? 

In high school I was cast as Kate in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Unfortunately, the production was cancelled. I would love to have the opportunity to play Kate as I feel that she is a character who combines Prism’s analytical judgment and Bridget’s energy.

Translations plays on November 14, 15, 21, and 22, 2014 at Mahan Hall at The US Naval Academy- 106 Maryland Avenue, in Annapolis, MD. For tickets, purchase them online or at the door.

LINKS

Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at Masqueraders at the United States Naval Academy–Part 1: Jonson Henry.

Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at the Masqueraders at The United States Naval Academy–Part 2: Chris Hudson.

Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at the Masqueraders at The United States Naval Academy Part 3: Megan Rausch.